TN: 1958 Badia a Coltibuono Chianti Classico Riserva

A_So · February 15, 2021, 10:33pm

1958 Badia a Coltibuono Chianti Classico Riserva - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG (2/15/2021)
There’s a special cage on this bottle that required the help of some wire cutters to get through. The cork was in excellent condition for a wine of its age, and the moment it was pulled, you got a whiff of tart, dried red fruit and herbs on the nose. Sure, this is old but still drinking brilliantly, and more importantly puts to bed any notion that sangiovese can’t age. Dried leaves and herbs dominate the palate, followed by a generous amount of acid, and also fading wisps of red fruit that actually crescendo towards the leathery finish. (93 pts.)

Kent_Comley · February 15, 2021, 10:44pm

Since carting back from Florence an utterly delicious 81 Monsanto CC Riserva, I am now actively cellaring Chiantis to cellar for a decade or two and am looking to bury quite a few from the 2016 vintage.
Thanks for the note.

Ramon_C · February 15, 2021, 10:51pm

I’m more in the camp that the pedigree has more to do with which sangiovese can age. I think Badia a Coltibuono is among those pedigrees.
Monsanto’s Il Poggio is up there too.

Jason_L · February 16, 2021, 12:00am

1958?!?? I never would have imagined!

brodie_thomson · February 16, 2021, 1:34am

Thanks Adrian for a great tasting note - allowing me to enjoy a birth year wine vicariously.

cheers Brodie

Abbie_S · February 16, 2021, 2:18am

I have fond memories of visiting Badia a Coltibuono with my family 20+ yrs ago.

Nick_Gangas · February 16, 2021, 2:56am

When I ran the wine program at Scoozi I put over 20 chiantis on the list. 3 to 4 vintages of this. They were selling cellar releases t the time. I think the oldest was 68. This was in 1999 to 2000.